where is a good place to get information on doing a swap in my 56 with either a 302 or 351? it currently has a 292 that is not rebuildable. thanks
probably some good info here, but it would help to know if you have a car or a truck, and what transmission it has now, and what transmission you want to have when you're done, as well as whether you want it to be a mild engine, or go fast, or what??? The more info you provide, the better the answers will be.
Join the 52-59 Ford Social group on here. This swap has been done many times and is well do***ented in there.
I suppose your doing the W engine swap . Plenty of room no issues . My choice would be the C or M style engine . Just my 2 cents , that isn’t worth a nickel .
I could see a Cleveland swap but an “M”???? The Modified (M) version of the Cleveland head Ford engine was never popular except in it’s original application, it used a big block pattern transmission which for engine swaps is not always preferred. I have owned almost all of them, 289, 302, Boss 302, 351W, 351C, 351M, 390, etc, the M engine sits at the bottom of my list. Just my opinion.
@squirrel (as usual) nails it. There is a lot of resources here, but more info is needed. I put a W engine in my 53 with a 3.03 toploader, and it was an easy swap even using the original 3 on the tree column. The 56 has a bigger engine compartment. Give us more information.
Give us more details. I replaced a 292 + 3 spd in a '57 Ranchero a few years ago with a 351W and AOD. It was a very straight forward swap. I used Bronco engine mounts, and fabbed the transmission cross member. The rest was just basic engine swap stuff, like new rad hoses, modified driveshaft, exhaust, etc.
Since it was designed around the Y-block, and an FE fits pretty easily, the 302/351 has swimming room
The main issue with a later Ford motor into the earlier cars is Ford changed the V8 'cylinder offset'. Where the Y-block and FE had the driver's side head 'leading', Ford reversed that for all the '60s and newer motors, I ***ume to allow more room for AC components. So a newer motor needs to be pushed forward if you want to retain the OEM throttle linkage, but this requires you to push the radiator forward also (if originally equipped with a V8) for clearance. If you switch to a cable throttle, the motor can be pushed back at least 1". This will put the head close to but not touching the firewall but you can leave the radiator where it is and still have adequate fan clearance. Most of the 'common' solutions push the motor forward, I built my own mounts to avoid this. If the later motor has a drivers-side water pump inlet, an OEM Y-block lower hose fits perfectly (may need slight shortening if the motor is moved forward). I have a NAPA part number for an upper hose that fits after t******* about 4" off one end, but the number is no longer any good... And if you're still running the vacuum wipers, a Y-block dual-diaphragm fuel pump for vacuum wipers will bolt up to a SBF. The arm shape is slightly different, but hits the fuel pump eccentric perfectly and doesn't rub anywhere internally. These will be a big help in making the wipers work right, ***uming you can find the pump. A couple of other things I rarely see mentioned. If wanting OEM cast-iron exhaust manifolds, '71-73 351W full-size (Galaxie, LTD) manifolds fit like they were made for this swap. And if using the OEM temp gauge and sending unit, switch to a 160 thermostat. If using a 190, the gauge will read hot. Apparently, the Y-block ran cooler...
There actually is a 400 engine cylinder block with a small block (six bolt) bellhousing pattern. If you wanted to be really different you could use it. It's basically a 351C with longer stroke, and can be rebuilt into a high performance engine for a large sum of money.
I must ***ume your vehicle is a car, there is quite a bit of room to put a small block Ford in there.Back in the Sixties I put a 430 MEL in one! If your vehicle is a truck….you have all the room in the world to put any engine in there! Bones
Is that some kind of Australian offering? I was not aware of it. I know the Australian market had 351C heads that had big ports and small valves, that were unavailable in the USA. (Edelbrock aluminum heads were built similar to the Aussie heads)
I believe that odd pattern 400 was a regular US production piece, from what I've read it was only used for one year, in the 1970-73 range.
It was a one-year-only piece, '73 to be specific. A 'small' number of blocks were cast, some drilled with one pattern or the other, a few with both. The reasoning behind it was Ford wanted to use the more-efficient FMX in some applications rather than the C6. The FMX was never offered in the 429/460 bellhousing pattern, the C6 was the only fitment for the 385 series.
The good news is that if a guy could find one of these 400s, then it bolts up to a C4 or AOD, or any other transmission that came behind a '65 up small block. Then of course you have to find one of the mythical stock 400-4V intakes.
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